The superiority of Jesus’ ministry as our High Priest rests also on the superiority of the covenant that forms the basis of that ministry. That covenant in turn rests on superior promises compared with the Mosaic Covenant promises and on a superior mediator, namely, Jesus Christ, compared with the angels and Moses (Galatians 3:19). read more
The better covenant 8:6-13The writer proceeded to explain the superiority of the New Covenant that Jesus Christ ratified with His blood (death) that is better than the Old Mosaic Covenant that He terminated when He died. He first explained the reason for the change in covenants (Hebrews 8:6-9), then he quoted the four superior promises of the New Covenant (Hebrews 8:10-12), and finally he underlined the certainty of the change (Hebrews 8:13). read more
As with the priesthood (Hebrews 7:11-12), so it is with the covenant and its promises. Had the first been adequate God would not have promised a second. Add "and its promises" after "covenant," which the translators have supplied, in this verse since "them" in Hebrews 8:8 is plural. read more
8:2 (f-1) Leitourgos , as Romans 15:16 . read more
8:5 (g-1) Hostis , as Matthew 7:24 , 'who are such as.' for (h-22) See Exodus 25:40 . read more
8:6 ministry, (i-9) Leitourgia . see ver. 2. which (k-21) Hostis . as Matthew 7:24 , 'which is such as.' established (l-23) That is, formally established as by a law. read more
The High Priest of the Heavenly Sanctuary and the Fulfilment of Jeremiah’s ProphecyChrist, as Melchizedek-High-Priest, has a higher ministry than the Levitical priesthood, because He ministers in the true Tabernacle in heaven which indeed was the pattern for the earthly tabernacle (Hebrews 8:1-5). Besides He is superior in proportion as the new covenant is better than the first (Hebrews 8:6-13).1. The sum] RV ’the chief point.’2. A minister] i.e. an officiating high priest.The sanctuary]... read more
(2) Of the sanctuary.—The word here rendered “minister” (see Hebrews 1:7; Hebrews 1:14) is very commonly used in the LXX. for the officiating priest. It is difficult, however, to decide on the meaning of the words here joined with it—whether they denote holy things or holy place; if the latter, what is the distinction between this holy place and “the true tabernacle”? The ordinary usage of the Epistle would suggest “holy place,” and perhaps the occurrence of both expressions in Hebrews 9:11-12... read more
(3) This verse and the three following confirm and illustrate the importance of the statement just made. The general course of thought appears to be as follows:—That which stands “at the head” of what we are saying, and gives completeness to the whole, is, that we have a High Priest who ministers in heaven itself (Hebrews 8:1-2). For, whereas the very conception of high-priestly duty would, were He on earth, exclude Him from being a priest at all (Hebrews 8:3-4), like those who “serve a copy of... read more
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Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Hebrews 8:3-5
Hebrews 8:4 sounds as though the Jewish priests were presenting offerings in Herod’s Temple when the writer wrote. This understanding of the text has led some students of the book to date its writing before the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in A.D. 70. However it is more likely that we should take these present tenses as timeless. [Note: See Lane, p. lxiii.] The writer was describing what had been done in Judaism as though it was still going on, for the sake of vividness (cf. Hebrews 7:27-28;... read more